How are you?

Gerard | Ōtautahi

Burnout snuck up on Gerard (Christchurch). Over time, the everyday stress that comes with running a business became an ongoing mental health challenge. By slowing down and working with a counsellor, Gerard has found peace of mind. 

“You learn the hard way, just dial things back. It’s been a slow process but I’m definitely on top of things now.

I feel like I’m doing pretty well now. I’ve learned the hard way that burning out isn’t fun. It’s probably a lesson I learned a bit late in life— about a year ago, when I realised that you don’t have to just keep pushing yourself. You can actually slow down, take a breath, and just do nothing for a while, and that’s okay.

I’ve never really overworked myself, but having a business and dealing with all the little things that come with it—those can sneak up on you. When you’re trying to make something work, it’s hard to step back and take a break. If you push too hard, eventually your body or mind tells you to stop. You start feeling anxious or depressed, and then you realise it’s time to reach out for help.

I ended up getting on the phone, Googling for a counsellor, and that process was actually pretty cool. It’s great to have someone who’s just interested in what you’re going through, someone who listens and reflects back what you’ve said in the past. They remind you of things you’ve noticed about yourself, like how certain feelings come up when you’re overdoing it.

Having someone to talk to helped me realise that if I keep pushing myself too hard when I’m already feeling off, it’s going to send me back a step. The key is to slow down, take care of myself, and avoid overloading. If I keep pushing through when I’m not feeling right, those negative feelings will just keep coming back. So, it’s really about balancing the workload and making sure you don’t burn out again.”